My first purchase from a KeyMe kiosk and I have notes!

I have used MinuteKEY in the past to easily bypass DO NOT COPY keys. Today’s errand was more about a quick solution then a security bypass. I was just copying normal keys today. Here is what i learned. With MinuteKEY, you could only make batch copies of the same key. In fact, the MinuteKEY kiosk locked your key into the machine until all the copying is done. There were zero protections against DO NOT COPY keys. They do however print keys right there in a variety of styles and colors.

None of that is true with KeyMe. First off, the interface is much easier to use (despite misleading or outdated instructions). you can batch different keys at once witch is very handy. They offer to mail you cut keys of different styles, but the only ones cut in the machine are basic brass and brass with a bottle opener. They offer a novel approach to DO NOT COPY with a Store Employee Check Required screen. The 3 digit code is cute, but can easily be shoulder surfed. Apart from that, with the batching of keys, there is no way for the Store Employee to even know which key you are copying at that moment. Unlike the MinuteKey, nothing is locked in place. The machine is already ready to scan another key.

Final observation on an interesting feature that i want to investigate further. KeyMe kiosks allow you to store your key on their system protected by your fingerprint. That’s just the start. With the app, you can take a picture of a key and have it printed at a kiosk. Send keys to friends/family/subordinates though the system. I will just say that i am both intrigued and terrified by these novel ideas. what are your thoughts?